Handling my new guinea pig

Question
Hi Kat, I just purchased my first guinea pig a few days ago. He is just the sweetest little creature. He is not too playful, but when I am holding him and I gently scratch is back or rub his back pushing the hair toward his head he gets fidgety and makes a squeling sound, almost like a baby piglet's cry. I don't know if this means he is enjoying the massage (if I were a guinea pig I think it would feel nice to me) or if I am upsetting him. Any advice? Pauly (that's his name) and I would greatly appreciate some feedback.

Answer
Hello Stephanie!

Congrats on your new little boy! I'm sure you and Pauly will have loads of fun together! Well, alot of that depends on the direction his hair is growing. If it is growing towards his head then he is most likely wheeking. Wheeking is just how they talk. If the "fidgeting" includes tossing his head up when your hand gets on it, that means he'd really rather you not do that. If it's sort of a hopping and twisting (sorta looks a bit like he's having a seziure or lost his mind), he's possibly "popcorning" which means he's very happy. If his hair grows toward his bum, then it's most likely a pain cry and the fidgeting is him squirming to make it stop. They tend to be very sensitive to petting their hair the wrong direction and it does actually hurt them a bit. This wonderful website clearly and simply explains all the different (well, most anyway) ways a Guinea Pig communicates and I'm sure it will be very helpful in figuring out exactly what your piggy is trying to tell you.

http://www.diddly-di.fsnet.co.uk/Communication.htm

Again, congrats on the new piggy. I'm sure Pauly is just adorable!

-kkat